Now
19°C · Overcast
Today
20° / 8°
Soil 6 cm
14°C
First frost
~35 days (Oct 13)
Gardening in Val-d'Or
AI field guide · refreshed weeklyVal-d'Or Gardening: Early September — Harvest Season Arrives, Frost Looms in 35 Days
Zone 4b means your growing season ends around October 13 (35 days away). Soil at 14°C is cool but workable for fall crops; frost-sensitive plants should be wrapped up or harvested. Spring frost (May 22) was 109 days ago, so you've had a solid season. Expect hard freezes by mid-October; plan accordingly.
Sow outdoors now
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea 'Space' or 'Bloomsdale')
Direct seed now for a 40–45 day fall crop before frost. Germinates well in 14°C soil; thin to 10 cm (4 in) apart.
Arugula (Eruca sativa)
Sow thickly in rows; ready in 30 days. Thrives in cool weather and tolerates light frosts once established.
Mâche (Valerianella locusta)
A cold-hardy salad green that germinates slowly at 14°C but will mature before frost. Sow densely.
Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Cherry Belle' or 'French Breakfast')
Matures in 25–30 days; direct seed now for late-season crunch. Tolerates frost once roots form.
Turnip (Brassica rapa 'Purple Top' or 'Hakurei')
Sow for harvest in 60 days (late October/early November). Improves in flavor after light frost.
Start indoors now
Microgreens (any brassica or mustard)
Start indoors on a sunny windowsill or under grow lights; harvest in 10–14 days. Extends your season into winter.
Garlic (Allium sativum, cloves)
Plant individual cloves 5 cm (2 in) deep indoors in pots now, or direct seed outdoors in 2–3 weeks when soil cools further. Overwinters and emerges in spring.
Harvest now
Tomatoes (all varieties)
Pick all fruit now—mature green, turning, or ripe—before frost arrives in 35 days. Ripen indoors on a windowsill or in a paper bag.
Caution: Frost will kill plants overnight; don't wait.
Peppers (Capsicum annuum)
Harvest all peppers, green or colored. Plants will die at first hard frost; pull and compost.
Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, snap or dry)
Pick snap beans while pods are tender; for dry beans, leave pods on the plant until brown and brittle, then shell.
Squash and pumpkins (Cucurbita spp.)
Cut with 5 cm (2 in) stem attached; cure in a warm, dry place for 10 days before storage. Frost will rot them in the field.
Tasks this week
- Clear spent pea and bean vines; compost or till under to add nitrogen.
- Stake or cage any remaining tomatoes and peppers; remove lower leaves to speed ripening.
- Water deeply after tomorrow's 54 mm rain; check drainage to avoid root rot in cool, wet soil.
- Mulch root crops (carrots, beets, turnips) with 5 cm (2 in) of straw to extend harvest into November.
- Scout for aphids and mites on brassicas; spray with insecticidal soap if needed before frost.
Watch out for
- Heavy rain (54 mm) tomorrow may cause sudden fungal issues; ensure air circulation and remove diseased leaves.
- Frost risk jumps after October 13; tender perennials (basil, tender herbs) must be harvested or brought indoors by then.
- Soil cooling rapidly; seeds sown after this week may not germinate before soil hits 10°C.
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